#5 OU at #6 Kentucky 3pm 1/11
- Thread starter Soonercuda
- Start date
Chemistry is everything.
We were a Sweet 16 team last season with players like Reyna Scott, Liz Scott, Neveah Tot and Audrey Joens. None of them were uber-talented, but played in a way that allowed oxygen to flow through the veins of an offense and score 85-90 points per game.
Amassing talent is great, but those players need to be able to co-exist and play off of each other and compete together.
And that’s not knock any one player … I’m just not sure how a team wins without strong coaching, an unwavering standard and mentally sharp players who understand how to play.
We were a Sweet 16 team last season with players like Reyna Scott, Liz Scott, Neveah Tot and Audrey Joens. None of them were uber-talented, but played in a way that allowed oxygen to flow through the veins of an offense and score 85-90 points per game.
Amassing talent is great, but those players need to be able to co-exist and play off of each other and compete together.
And that’s not knock any one player … I’m just not sure how a team wins without strong coaching, an unwavering standard and mentally sharp players who understand how to play.
The proof is in her 4 cars and the house they built. Her dad said 1.5 million a year in the One3 interview. That’s not including the brand deals. Other teams may have volume shooters, but they don’t have a Beers. You all may want to blame others, but this is on the coaches. We have talented kids. They failed in the portal and thought freshmen would be ready. Bet she’ll blame them to the media again too. So much for leaving the varsity in garage minutes instead of putting bench in for good minutes. Any good coach would know it’s not sustainable to play your best player 40 minutes in the SEC.
MsProudSooner
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2008
- Messages
- 11,023
- Reaction score
- 504
Offensively, we needed more production from Sahara and Zya. They combined for 5 points today. Overall, the effort was better than the previous game. Payton was more productive. But we miss having a shooter like Lexy or a tough as nails interior player like Liz Scott when Beers is on the bench.
When our starters are on the floor, we have 14 years of experience - Beers 4, Verhulst 4, Williams 3, Vann 2 and Chavez 1 . Coming off the bench, we have 3 true freshmen, 3.
Last year our starters were Tot or Scott (4 or 3), Skylar 4, Williams 2, Verhulst, 3, Beers 3. That's 15 or 16, depending on which point is playing. But coming off the bench we had Keys 4, Culliton 3, KJ 3, Jones 4, Scott 4. That's 18 years of experience. Like it or not, experience counts. The bench players have improved a lot over the course of the season but they are still as green as grass.
That does make a huge difference. I think that’s why we’re so frustrated not picking up in the portal.
Then is Jennie the problem? No. Not all McDonald's all-Americans are equal. Ours happen to be woefully unathletic and/or lack decent basketball IQ, compared to other SEC rosters. Either of which is a recruiting problem, which is a coaching problem.
Chavez will be a Gamecock or Horn next year if we don't stop losing games like this.
MsProudSooner
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2008
- Messages
- 11,023
- Reaction score
- 504
I don't believe for a minute it was for a lack of trying. The player who went to UCLA scheduled that visit last which tells me that was always her first choice. If it was an NIL problem, that's on the BMD. Jennie can't manufacture NIL $$$ in the bowels of the LNC.
No she won’t. But she may go home to Tech. But. In my opinion, that’s always been the plan. She’s getting everything she wants here.
TheMont
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2015
- Messages
- 1,004
- Reaction score
- 197
We are an incredible scoring team and defensive rebounding team. But not when it matters. It felt like that was the case last year too. Giving up 3 offensive boards on one possession with 2 minutes to go was a backbreaker. And we didn’t make a single bucket in the last 4:37 of the game.
Not an excuse, but that game was so unbelievably poorly officiated.
After the Miss St game, I thought this team had really turned a corner, but alas the sweet 16 remains the ceiling. Sigh.
Not an excuse, but that game was so unbelievably poorly officiated.
After the Miss St game, I thought this team had really turned a corner, but alas the sweet 16 remains the ceiling. Sigh.
MsProudSooner
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2008
- Messages
- 11,023
- Reaction score
- 504
Should there be more feed to Beers in the post? She seems deadly when she gets inside position.
This should have been our year to take a step forward but we may be going backwards. No way ay this rate will OU host a 1st round regional.
This should have been our year to take a step forward but we may be going backwards. No way ay this rate will OU host a 1st round regional.
Yes!
Soonerguy06
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2017
- Messages
- 1,527
- Reaction score
- 376
I just don't think we have leadership this year. We don't have enough talented offensive players and players that have good basketball iq, which is a failure on the coaches in their recruiting. I don't know what they were thinking unless they were simply out of funds and had nothing respectable to offer even the players from lesser programs. This could end up being one of the seasons that we look at and think of what could have been if everyone had played together and to their potential, but instead we win one game in the tournament before we are knocked out early and look at it as a failure of a season. At this rate we are fighting to even get a top 16 seating because we aren't going to have enough quality wins. Unless something miraculous happens and the girls start getting tougher than they have been. The only upsets I think we have a chance of as possibly Vanderbilt and Tennessee at this point
I think they have the talent. They don’t have chemistry. There’s no offense at all.
The team is still playing "ME" ball and it is disappointing. There's a ton of talent that will not be realized if they continue to worry about their own stats.
Glaring Weaknesses in this Game
1. The center needed more touches.
2. The 3 Ball has killed us. 2-19. We go 4-19 we win.
3. Spacing - it was even worse in this game. All the guards were guilty of it. Sagging down inside the 3 pt line instead of getting outside to their spots made it real easy for the Defense and cluttered up the lane like last game.
Jennie has always coached her team to read and react...well that was with the assumption that you move & pass till there is a great open shot. Me ball & poor spacing has made the offense look bad.
Can it be fixed?
Glaring Weaknesses in this Game
1. The center needed more touches.
2. The 3 Ball has killed us. 2-19. We go 4-19 we win.
3. Spacing - it was even worse in this game. All the guards were guilty of it. Sagging down inside the 3 pt line instead of getting outside to their spots made it real easy for the Defense and cluttered up the lane like last game.
Jennie has always coached her team to read and react...well that was with the assumption that you move & pass till there is a great open shot. Me ball & poor spacing has made the offense look bad.
Can it be fixed?
- Stop shooting 3's from 6' beyond the arc to improve your shooting percentage
- Stop driving or taking shots when they are not there. It makes no sense to dribble into 2-3 people and take a bad shot. Move the ball and yes, someone else needs to take the shot.
- Get to your spots - opens up the lane and spread the defense, which actually allows everyone to move
Tom, do you really think they didn't try to get anyone in the Portal? You have to pay the entire roster...which is why schools like South Carolina & UCLA have 10-11 players. But you are right...it was frustrating for everyone.
Soonerguy06
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2017
- Messages
- 1,527
- Reaction score
- 376
I know we pursued some portal players, but they were all from P4 conferences, and probably asking big money. Rodriguez, went to Iowa. Kneepkins went to UCLA. Smith went to Virginia. Mwenentanga went to Vandy. Not sure of anyone else we pursued but I see a lot of teams with players from midmajors that are able to contribute to a certain extent, and think they'd be able to help us more than what the bench players are capable of right now. It hurts when your starters aren't playing their best ball at the same time and you have zero bench players. I agree we aren't playing like a team. It really just feels like we're crossing halfcourt and shooting as quickly as we can when we think we are open and not really trying to set up plays. It's just a big old mess right now and it's going to take some time because of our inexperience. I hope next season at this point we can say we picked up 2-3 portal players and have quality depth.
I know they tried to get a couple. I don’t think they had to enough to offer to be competitive with the teams they chose. Kneepkins for example. I don’t see many who will want to come in to this situation next season, unless the coach steps up and remembers it’s her team.
